WTA Finals race hots up in Guadalajara with 13 players still in contention

The WTA Finals is one step closer to being complete after contenders Maria Sakkari, Caroline Garcia and Daria Kasatkina advanced to the last 16 in Guadalajara. 

The Mexican WTA 1000 level event is the last tournament before the WTA Finals kick off in Fort Worth, Texas at the end of the month. Entering the event three of the eight singles places had been decided, with Iga Swiatek, Ons Jabeur and Jessica Pegula already qualified.

No less than 17 players in the main draw of Guadalajara had a shot at filling the remaining five places. Six of those women could only qualify if they won the event. They were Beatriz Haddad Maia, Ekaterina Alexandrova, Jelena Ostapenko, Barbora Krejcikova, Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina and Liudmila Samasonova. With Haddad Maia and Krejcikova both exiting in the first round, their hopes were dashed.

World number seven Coco Gauff is fourth in the WTA race. She only needs to win her first match agains Italian Elisabetta Cocciaretto to ensure a place at the WTA Finals. She would join doubles partner Pegula there after the pair qualified for the doubles event in Texas with their title run in San Diego last week.

Thirteen contenders still stand including Gauff, Sakkari, Garcia, Kasatkina and the four women left who must win the event. Aryna Sabalenka, Veronika Kudermetova, Madison Keys, Belinda Bencic, Paula Badosa and Australian Open finalist Danielle Collins make up the rest.

Guadalajara hosted the event in 2021. There two-time Slam champion Garbine Muguruza claimed the biggest title of her career since her 2017 Wimbledon triumph.

🎾 Free >> Join our legendary newsletter

🎾 Join >> Receive $700/£600 of tennis gear from the Tennishead CLUB

🎾 Social >> Facebook, Twitter, Instagram & YouTube

🎾 Read >> World’s best tennis magazine

🎾 Watch >> How to enjoy ATP/WTA/Slam tennis on TV

🎾 Shop >> Lowest price tennis gear from our trusted partner